SPECTROMETRIC MEASUREMENT OF THE ATOMIC OXYGEN 63μ LINE INTENSITIES 80 KM AND 180 KM

ABSTRACT Absolute spectral infrared intensities of the lower thermosphere were measured in the wavelength interval between 45μ and 125μ on March 16th, 1977, above Andoya, Norway, by means of a liquid helium cooled grating spectrometer. The geomagnetic field was moderately disturbed. With this experiment an absolute spectrometric measurement of the atomic oxygen 63μ fine structure transition was obtained for the first time. Preliminary results of the 63μ line intensities are presented. The observed intensities substantially deviate from the corresponding values of a model based on theoretically calculated transition probabilities and thermal excitation of the atomic oxygen.